House of Weisserose
Summary: House Weisserose (vice-ah-rose) is a Noble Family. Its current leader and patriarch is Lord Reynalden Weisserose, who hails from a small estate nestled in the Alterac Mountains. Being the sole male inheritor, Lord Reynalden recruits and welcomes many--be they Non-Alteraci, Noble or Commoner--to live upon the Weisserose Estate and work to rebuild Alterac. The Weisserose Estate is best modeled by Dandred's Fold and is regularly used to represent the Manor and Farms. Upon the map, the Estate is beside the historic Royal Manor---slightly southeast within the Uplands. At this time, the Guild is inactive and its members are now within <Dominion of Alterac>. Heredity: *Edel Weiss, Died of Illness (Ancestor, Father of Adel and Edrick) *Edrick Weiss, Deceased Naturally (Son of Edel, Father of Edward and Alrick) *Alrick Weiss, Died of Grief (Son of Edrick, Father of Rodrick) *Adam Weiss, Deceased Naturally (Nephew of Alrick, Husband of the Heiress of Rose) *Raymond Weisserose, Presumed Murdered (Son of Adam and the Heiress of Rose) *Reynalden Weisserose (Son of Raymond) History: Lord Edel Weiss is known as the primary ancestor and first of the Weisse (later Weisserose) Nobles. Being one of the many founders of the Kingdom of Alterac---having taken part in one of the human migrations out of the Arathi Highlands and the subsequent settling of City-States (which became the Seven Human Kingdoms we know today)---Lord Edel was attributed with noble lineage and a tract of land. He had two children, who came to be known as Lord Edrick Weiss and Lady Adel Weiss. Lord Edrick Weiss had been given two sons, by name of Edward and Alrick; meanwhile, Lady Adel Weiss had given birth to two daughters, by name of Lady Adelaide Weiss and Lady Belle Weiss. When Edward had died before conceiving children and Belle had become a Priestess, only Alrick and Adelaide Weiss produced children. Lord Alrick Weiss had been given a son, by name of Lord Rodrick Weiss; meanwhile, Lady Adelaide Weiss had given birth to a son and a daughter, by name of Lord Adam Weiss and Lady Madeline Weiss. When Rodrick was slain in battle, the duties of the House fell heavily on Adam---leaving Madeline in charge of securing the Family's legitimacy and renown, however unorthodox a duty for a woman at the time. By staying single and allowing her natural charm to negotiate with neighboring Houses---so as to achieve legitimacy through a Man and attain greater renown by having others vouch for House Weisserose---Lady Madeline had expanded the Family's lands and even negotiated a union of two Houses: Weiss and Rose. As House Rose had only one daughter, known only as "the Heiress of Rose", Lady Madeline had made the alliance in the best way possible: marriage. Thus, the Heiress of Rose had been betrothed to Lord Adam Weiss and their son was to become the heir of both House Weiss and House Rose. To symbolize the union, the Families had agreed to call themselves "House Weisserose" and the child bore the name of Raymond Weisserose. When Lord Anduin Lothar had fled with other Stormwind Humans to Southshore and spoke to King Terenas Menethil II about the Orcs, Lord Raymond Weisserose had gone to attend Terenas' meeting of all Human Kings--supposedly, in the hall with other Noblemen and just outside of the Alterac Royal Family's Booth. When Anduin Lothar spoke of the Horde and how no Kingdom alone could stand against the ravenous Orcs, the Alterac Nobles and King Aiden Perenolde discussed their options. While many Alterac Nobles believed they could face the Orcs alone, others believed that not siding with the proposed alliance would make them prone to being invaded by the other Kingdoms. However reluctantly or even doubtfully he did this, King Aiden Perenolde had sworn to pledge the Kingdom of Alterac to the Alliance of Lordaeron. During the last days of the Second War's first half, Alterac's Nobles once again discussed their options with their King; after the Bronzebeard Dwarves' inability to fight the Horde made them choose to hide within Ironforge, the Orcs under Warchief Orgrim Doomhammer had stolen metal and had constructed boats--destined to land in Southshore. Sensing Alterac was in peril and sure to be invaded by the Orcs, many of the Nobles begged Perenolde to stop the impending invasion. When Perenolde had chosen to try and "buy-off" the Horde, most considered it the best option. Lord Raymond, however, did not. Fearing his political career and how the others would speak of him, Lord Raymond sat quietly and offered no public resistance when Perenolde made his decision. Quickly departing back home, he urged his Wife to consider sending their infant son--Reynalden--somewhere else and for his own protection. Reynalden's Mother, Lady Sylvia Weiss, had believed Dalaran to be more defensible and better-equipped than Alterac and sent for her friend--the Wife of an Archmagus--to take Reynalden with her and protect him. While Hagar Arkenstone and her husband, Archmagus Hrogoth took care of the infant Reynalden and raised him, the Family began to fall apart: Elsie Weisserose, the female sibling of Reynalden, had been forced to witness the Orcish Horde rampaging through their home and was utterly disgusted when other Nobles began to join the Syndicate and has never been seen since---thus, writing dark and depressing thoughts in a journal before leaving for Arathor, which gave Reynalden the impression she was dead until they were reunited; Sylvia Weisserose had perished when the Black Dragons of the Horde burned down Alterac City--as per a deal with Perenolde and Ner'zhul in exchange for the Book of Medivh. She had died in Elsie's arms as the great fires engulfed the land. Lord Raymond was, at some point, killed by Syndicate and the estate was used as a hideout for their operations in neighboring Strahnbrad. To this day and on a personal level, the adult Lord Reynalden Weisserose despises the Syndicate and those who supported Perenolde--offering them little mercy or tolerance, despite his otherwise calm and compassionate demeanor. The House regards any and all Syndicate as enemies to be killed upon sight--the same goes for the Crushridge Clan of Ogres, but legal obligations towards the Edict of Punishment for Syndicatery have quelled that violent disdain of Syndicate (for now). Fiefdoms: The entirety of the Weisserose Estate and its territories encompass a portion of the valley between the Alterac Mountains and the border-mountains of the Western Plaguelands, stretching into the border-mountains and guarding a pass--one that the Orcish Horde had used to quickly traverse over the mountains and reach Quel'Thalas. In general, the Estate is within view of Dandred's Fold---which was both the residence of Prince Aliden Perenolde and a Syndicate headquarters. At the westernmost edge of the estate and the Alterac Coalition-controlled Dandred's Fold is the Misty Shore---which houses two boating docks and a Fisherman's House on Lordamere Lake. At the easternmost edge of the estate is the shallow-steep valley known as the Uplands---which serves as a passage between the Misty Shore and the road to Strahnbrad and Andorhal, avoiding the treacherous Five Fingers of Hillsbrad and Tarren Mill. In summary, the Estate and Vassal-fiefs of House Weisserose are best utilized in growing Grain and Tobacco, harvesting local Herbs (Stranglekelp, Khadgar's Whisker, Mageroyal, Bruiseweed and Briarthorn), excavating Stone, Coal and Marble, mining Silver, Copper and Tin, as well as being a popular trade-route that avoids both landscape hazards and the taxation of neighboring Townships. As of now, the plots of the Family Lands are divided between the rediscovered sister of Reynalden, Lady Elsiebeth Weisserose , and Reynalden himself. Because Reynalden frequently travels---either for military or political reasons---Lady Elsiebeth was granted administrative authority over the bulk of the estate, with the exceptions of Südentor and Volkenburg; roughly, a 60/40 split between Elsie and Reynalden in terms of administrative control. The two share the collective holdings equally, as their Father had wished it in his Last Will and Testament. Aspirations: In all truth, Lord Reynalden only desires a restored and populous Alterac. He cares little of who is made King, if there is to be one. The House's main goal is to maintain and grow its holdings to the point of Township or even become a City. Through the Alterac Coalition, Lord Reynalden is dedicated to becoming the Governor of such a City to serve his followers and Alterac as a whole. But the fate of Alterac as a nation has yet to be decided... Alterac Coalition: Lord Reynalden Weisserose is one of the founding members of the Alterac Coalition, formed during General Rhalitra Haddinkov's First Grand Alterac Diet--a feast sponsored by the General and his Partisans of Alterac. The Coalition is made up of Alteraci Nobles, Military Officers, Civilians and Clergymen--even including a former Syndicate. The main purpose of this loose group of a few men is to both rebuild Alterac and select a method of government--possibly naming a King in the process. There are many questions asked by the Coalition, which remain unanswered: "Will Alterac join the Alliance that treated it so harshly, or will Alterac stand alone as a sovereign nation?" and "How should Alterac be governed and by who?" being chief among those questions. Currently, only Alterac-born individuals may become voting members of the Alterac Coaltion. However, the ruling council will hear petitions and pleas made by others--one in particular that asks the Coalition to allow Alliance soldiers military access or even occupation in Alterac. Surrounded on all sides by the Forsaken War-Machine and with Dalaran torn from its foundation, Alterac will have to face the Horde sooner or later; meanwhile, an Alterac allying with the same faction that tore out its heart seems incredibly dubious and ill-fated--especially given the Alliance's naming of the entire region and population "the Traitor Kingdom". Conflict Rising: During the week of January 20th-27th, Lord Reynalden was convinced that War was looming over the Alterac Mountains and that the People and various allies would have to lay Siege to Alterac City---soon, before anyone else can claim the Ruined Capitol and turn it into a great stronghold for their own, nefarious deeds. On Wednesday of that week, Reynalden was talking and eating with friends as he heard the Stormwind Cathedral bells ring in an alarm-like fashion. As he peered to the steeples of the Church, he heard Bishop Johannes Moorwhelp shout of a "Crusade". Worried, the Man darted across the Square to confront the Bishop. When asked where he was going, Moorwhelp replied "Northward... To slay the infidels, my Lord". After further questioning, the Dwarven Cleric revealed his true sentiments: "We will chase the Forsaken into the Alterac Mountains, if needed". This absolutely horrified Reynalden, as such confirmed his fears that the Crusader and Forsaken forces would---inevitably---turn their gaze to Alterac. He stormed off to the Uplands with the utmost haste. With the help of the same friends he consorted with before, he rallied the Militia and ordered the Peasants put everything they could carry within the Weisserose Mansion. The Militia was sent to Strahnbrad to both gather more men and warn the other Alteraci Nobles. When Baron Darethel Bloodscythe arrived to ask what was going on, Reynalden bid him and his Undead Vrykul minions to build a thick palisade around the Weisserose Estate. When others began to arrive in droves to ask the Nobleman what he was preparing for, Reynalden replied "War... Alterac lay in peril, between two marauding armies hell-bent on exterminating the other. We cannot stand against either side in this conflict and Alterac City is far too valuable to let them take. Either the Forsaken or the Crusaders will occupy it and it shall be a bastion of despair, casting a plagued shadow across the land. This cannot happen..." and continued on to summon as many nearby Allies as he could. Prince Ghlafferge Sootbeard of the Principality of Zundrbar, Lord Dilan Ravenshield of the Argent Crusade, now-Chancellor Bishop Edrane Riddle and the House Weisserose Retainers gathered inside the Mansion to hear the Lord speak. Reynalden restated his dire prophecy, claiming that the Crusade was to set foot in Hillsbrad within the next month and that the time to lay siege to Alterac City was now. Upon hearing of such a daunting endeavor, some objected for various reasons: Chancellor Riddle believed that the effort was impossible, as lives would be lost in taking the City and it would take months more than the Alteraci had to build a suitable defense. Meanwhile, Lord Ravenshield stated that even if he aided the Alteraci, he could not stay to defend them against Crusader or Forsaken invaders---as he was Argent and could not betray his oaths to Highlord Fordring. Reynalden continued to insist that there was no alternative to such a hastily-made Siege and that while the effort seemed costly and logistically impossible, it had to be done now. As those in attendance argued, a knock came at the door: a nameless Priest had asked where the Wetlands were and when asked why he was to go there, he replied that he was to join Bishop Moorwhelp in is assault against the Dragonmaw Orcs. This made everyone convinced that time was short and that the Crusade was on the move. After the Priest had left, another knock came at the door: Sir Dungalion the True and a group of High Elves were carrying wounded soldiers and begged Lord Reynalden for aid and shelter. While their request was accepted and the injured were being tended to, Reynalden asked Sir Dungalion where he came from and why he came here for assistance. Dungalion had answered that he and the High Elves of Lady Aeriyth Dawnsorrow's Highguard were defending Andorhal from the advancing Forsaken and that a passing Priest bid them here. Putting two and two together, Reynalden eyed Dungalion with concern, believing that he was taking part in the Crusade. When Lady Dawnsorrow herself was revived, she claimed that they took Andorhal and defended it from the Forsaken in the name of Moorwhelp's Crusade. Dungalion and Reynalden dropped their jaws, shocked for their own reasons: Dungalion did not favor the Crusade and opposed it at every turn, yet somehow was tricked into serving it. Meanwhile, Reynalden's assumptions and fears were made true---the Crusade was carving their path towards the Undercity and the path to the Undercity from the Western Plaguelands was now blocked, leaving Hillsbrad and Alterac as the path to Tirisfal Glades. By January 31st, Lord Reynalden hoped to assemble as many allies and neighbors as he can. Once summoned, the Siege Plans will be unveiled and---as Reynalden attested---"with the Light's aid", Alterac City shall be retaken by Alteraci and for Alteraci. Thus began the War for Alterac, which ended just before the Arathor War or the "March on the Highlands". The Arathor War: Known to some as the "March on the Highlands" or "Arathi Subjugation" Campaign, independent groups Alliance and Horde fought brutally over the ravaged lands of Arathor and the withered ruins of Stromgarde Keep. While Alterac was Neutral, Reynalden saw fit to assist an evacuation effort led by the Order of First Light---granting protection and supplies to the Refugees and sheltering them in Alterac. It was during the registration and documenting of these Arathorian Refugees---being both Horde and Alliance and most races included---that Elsie Weisserose was discovered. She had fled to Arathor to a small holding on the East Coast, sheltered by the dense mountains, and remained there until the Evacuation went into effect. As the Factions fought, the House and the Alterac Coalition Military---the Old Dominion of Alterac---had supplied the Refugees and even quelled two riots made by them. In addition, the Syndicate had increased their activity and were being relentlessly pursued by the Dominion Forces, who could not allow the Syndicate to reap the spoils of the War and become stronger. During their "Syndie Hunt", the Dominion of Alterac bombarded the ruins of Durnholde Keep upon seeing a large concentration of Syndicate and their hired Mercenaries inside. After this one-sided skirmish was won and defended the day afterwards, the Dominion began to sort through the rubble---both pre-existing and newly-created---discovering gold, weapons, armor, rations and even various artifacts of religious and historic significance. Among such treasures were the King's Orb and Shroud, being seen as proof of divine providence and fate. Both possessions of the Alteraci Monarchs were stowed away within a magically-locked and warded display case. Only the standing members of the Alterac Coalition know where the case is and only together, may they open it. Weisserose Weisserose Category:Houses, Clans and Tribes